Photo albums have been around for years. They were the best way to preserve memories and family history, helping us reminisce and celebrate these moments in the future. However, over time, digital albums took over the place of photo albums for many reasons and the first one is the cost.
These days, digital photography allows you to enjoy and go back in time without the need to even hold the actual album in your hands since everything you want to see is on your computer and phone. However, for those of you who love the idea of holding an actual album filled with treasured memories, then you should consider the idea of investing in a photo book. This is basically a modern version of albums, consisting of printed photos. It can come in two types: hardcover and softcover photo books, giving you the chance to pick the best one for your needs.
What Is a Hardcover Photo Book?
Well, the first and most obvious thing about this personalized hardcover photo book is its rigid hardcover. It’s made from thick base material that is printed to the outside with your personalised photos. The outside hard cover is perfect for protecting the book’s inner pages giving you peace of mind that your photo book will last for years. Having this in mind means that a personalized hardcover photo book is a durable and hardwearing substitution for a photo album which is prone to wear and tear.
What Is a Softcover Photo Book?
As the name suggests, a photo book of this kind is made with a paper stock that is pliable and bendable. And even though its cover is made slightly thicker, still it’s soft and you can bend it as you wish. Precisely this feature makes them less popular than the hardcover ones. In fact, this makes them more prone to wear and tear, and since this is an album that’s meant to last, they aren’t the perfect choice for the purpose, especially if you have little children who love to go over albums to see old photographs.
Comparing Their Features
Protection
As you may know by now, hardcover digital photo albums offer greater protection. They are sturdier and less prone to damage because of the thick cover and generally thicker paper on their inside. These albums do not bend and can sit firmly on a shelf without the risk of sliding and falling.
Softcover photo books, on the other hand, are lighter and lack the needed thickness which makes them less durable.
Appeal
Whether you’re buying a photo book of this kind for yourself or for someone else as a gift, you probably want it to be appealing and stylish. A great example of such luxurious-looking photo books are the ones with hardcover. They certainly look more impressive, especially when you show them to other people.
And even though you won’t make a mistake when buying a photo book with a soft cover, still, it’s the one with a hard cover that is more stylish, appealing, durable and long-lasting.
Functionality
When it comes to functionality, it seems that soft-cover photo books are easier to move around and transport because of their lighter weight. However, given the fact that photo books are meant to sit in one place in the home, you should choose one based on quality and appearance, and in this competition, once again the winner is hardcover books for photos.
Given the fact that the ones made of hardcovers are heavier, more quality, durable and long-lasting, it goes without saying that they’re also more expensive. But if you think in the long run, it really pays off more to invest in one with hardcovers instead of soft since the latter can easily tear, so you’ll end up paying more than the initial investment in photo books with hardcover.
When in the search for the right model of photo books, you should also think of their finish. Even though in most cases, people prefer choosing photo books with glossy finish, you also have the chance to choose from the ones that come with matte or semi-matte finish. To make it more personalised, aside from the photos, you can customise the book and add some text to the spine.
You should also think of the photo book’s binding and choose the most preferred style. Generally, you can choose from standard binding where the pages have a beautiful curve like in the magazines, or you can choose from lay-flat binding photo book where the paper truly lays flat. The type of binding and finish you’ll choose depends mainly on your taste and nothing else, so make sure to take both binding styles in mind when choosing the perfect model for a personalised photo book in order not to make a mistake.
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